Page 37
‘All right, Fleur. But the least you can do is attend Irma’s dinner. Be polite, be convivial, and step out with Coglin for an evening. Just go along with it and make her happy.’
‘And then I don’t have to see him again socially?’
It was her father’s turn to sigh. ‘Fine. I really don’t want to be involved.’
‘Nor do I want you to be, Dad. I don’t need anyone involved in my romantic interests.’
He frowned. ‘You don’t have any, do you?’
‘Not yet.’ She shrugged. ‘He needs to be special.’
‘Oh, Fleur,’ her father began in a tone that sounded condescending.
She knew he didn’t mean it and responded before he could continue. ‘No, Dad, what I mean is that he must be special to me. I must be left alone to recognise what it is about a man that makes me notice him. And it won’t necessarily be that his business interests match ours, or that he’s a good catch from a social-standing point of view. My mother would not have stood for anything but me choosing to marry someone I love.’
‘Love is all well and good, Fleur, but—’
‘You can’t sweep that away as though actually loving, even liking one’s spouse is a bonus. It’s the beginning of everything that contributes to a successful marriage. That’s how you and Mum had it so good and could cope with every obstacle . . . even not being able to have children of your own. You loved each other.’
‘That’s how a young woman thinks, Fleur. That’s perfectly natural, I’d say, but—’
‘You don’t love Irma,’ she said, cutting again into his patronising tone. She lowered her voice. ‘If you did, you’d be with her right now, chuckling about something or chatting together as you used to with Mum.’ She lifted a shoulder in a soft shrug. ‘You made a pragmatic decision with Irma, Dad, and that was yours to make, but don’t insist my life has to go that way too. I’d rather run away and join the circus.’
‘I’m not. But you are old enough to be married. Old enough to be starting your own family.’
‘Yes, but I’m also old enough to live alone and run my life.’
He shook his head emphatically. ‘No, Fleur. You will be married out of this house. I want no tongues wagging and compromising Appleby’s.’
She blinked with exasperation and disappointment that he was so closed in his mind, but he continued.
‘I expect you to attend Irma’s dinner and speak in a civil manner to James and his parents.’
‘What about my business idea?’
‘I’ll think on it.’
‘When do you—?’
‘I said I’ll consider it. We’ll talk about this again another time.’
She heard the adamant note in his warning and knew to let it be; she had pushed her father as far as she dared. ‘One more thing, Dad.’ She didn’t wait for his permission to continue. ‘Whatever else happens, will you promise me that I will still inherit the pocket watch that my mother gave you?’
He took it out again, and she saw his gaze soften as he looked at it. She reached out to touch the gloriously intricate pattern on its shiny surface; she could feel the warmth from his body on the gold.
Henry nodded. ‘Yes, it should be yours, for my first grandson.’
He smiled and she returned it, squeezing his hand, wishing she didn’t feel like sobbing right now in this moment of tenderness.
Fleur noticed a man walking towards them, shrugged deep into his coat, its lapels pulled up almost to his mouth against the wind that was whipping up off the sea. She saw a thatch of blond hair but no other features as she deliberately turned away, not wanting him to see the moisture in her eyes that the prickly conversation with her father had provoked.
The man stopped in front of them. ‘Excuse me, sir.’
‘Yes, son? How can I help?’
‘I’m looking for the Alberton Hotel. I might have walked too far.’
‘You have,’ Henry said, stepping out onto the street and pointing. ‘Follow your footsteps back, but I’d suggest you cross the street because it’s going to come up on that side in about ten minutes.’
